12 Bar Blues (album)

Infobox Album | Name = 12 Bar Blues
Type = Album
Artist = Scott Weiland


Released = March 31, 1998
Recorded = Scott's house, Foxy Dead Girl, Royaltone, Oceanway, The Village, and Master Control
Genre = Alternative rock
Length = 58:51
Label = Atlantic Records
Producer = Blair Lamb and Scott Weiland
Additional Production = Daniel Lanois
Reviews = *Allmusic rating|4|5 [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:jn91z82a1yvo link]
*"Rolling Stone" rating|3.5|5 [http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/scottweiland/albums/album/200715/review/5943187/12_bar_blues 4/2/98]
*"Entertainment Weekly" (B) [http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,282479,00.html 4/3/98]
*"Spin" rating|7|10 4/98, pp.124-125
Last album =
This album = "12 Bar Blues" (1998)
Next album = "Happy In Galoshes" (2008)|

"12 Bar Blues" is the debut solo album from Stone Temple Pilots singer Scott Weiland. It's sound and style differs greatly from his band's releases. The design concept of the cover is a homage to the cover design of John Coltrane's "Blue Train" album.

Reception

Released in 1998 on Atlantic Records, the album was a commercial failure, but achieved some critical acclaim. Stephen Erlewine of allmusic gave the album 4 out of 5 stars, declaring "12 Bar Blues" is an unpredictable, carnivalesque record confirming that Weiland was the visionary behind STP's sound. He's fascinated by sound, piling on layers of shredded guitars, drum loops, and keyboards, making sure that each song sounds drastically different from its predecessor." [ [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:jn91z82a1yvo Allmusic] allmusic reveiw, cited September 20, 2008] David Fricke of "Rolling Stone" awarded the album 3.5 out of 5 stars and declared that "12 Bar Blues" isn't really a rock album, or even a pop album. Weiland, out on his own, has simply made an honest album – honest in its confusion, ambition and indulgence. It was worth the risk." but also remarked that "Maybe it's a little early for Scott Weiland to be going the solo way." [ [http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/scottweiland/albums/album/200715/review/5943187/12_bar_blues Rolling Stone] Rolling Stone Magazine review, cited September 20, 2008] Historian Piero Scaruffi gave it a 7 out of 10 and claimed that "12 Bar Blues" is a noble work in the tradition of "lo-fi" songwriters like Robert Pollard and Beck, a collection of quirky ditties with lively and inventive arrangements." [ [http://www.scaruffi.com/vol5/stp.html#12 Piero Scaruffi review] Piero Scaruffi review, cited September 20, 2008] He later listed the album as being one of the best rock albums of the 90s. [ [http://www.scaruffi.com/ratings/90.html Piero Scaruffi list] Piero Scaruffi's "Best Rock Albums of the 90s" list, cited September 20, 2008]

Track listing

#"Desperation #5" - 4:05
#"Barbarella" - 6:36
#"About Nothing" - 4:48
#"Where's the Man" - 4:55
#"Divider" - 4:23
#"Cool Kiss" - 4:55
#"The Date" - 5:21
#"Son" - 5:04
#"Jimmy Was a Stimulator" - 3:58
#"Lady, Your Roof Brings Me Down" - 5:26
#"Mockingbird Girl" - 5:02
#"Opposite Octave Reaction" - 4:18

Miscellanea

*An additional track entitled "Lazy Divey" was recorded for the album, and was included on some early promotional copies of the album.
*In an interview in 1998 on MTV's "120 Minutes", Scott states that his then brother-in-law introduced him to Blair Lamb, who later produced "12 Bar Blues". [ [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pw_jsLAKkPo YouTube.com: Scott Weiland - interview 1998] ]
*Michael Weiland, Scott's late brother, performed percussions on many of the tracks.
*"Lady, Your Roof Brings Me Down" features the stylistic guest-accordion work of Sheryl Crow.
*"Mockingbird Girl", was a re-recording of a song Weiland had originally recorded with The Magnificent Bastards for the "Tank Girl" soundtrack three years prior.
*The title name comes from the simple progression known as "12 bar blues."
*The music video to "Barbarella" used themes from the David Bowie film "The Man Who Fell to Earth". [ [http://www.mtv.com/bands/w/weiland_scott/news_feature_062804/ MTV.com: A Walk On The Weiland Side] ]

Charts

Album - Billboard (North America)

Singles - Billboard (North America)

References